The sacred syllable aum  can be chanted at anytime by anyone. It can even be chanted silently. During yoga class the class usually begins with chanting aum . Doing so helps to bring peace and serenity of mind.  One can also chant aum while doing a yoga pose either vocally or silently. Chanting aum repeatedly …

Let the blooming spring flowers inspire you to open up in your yoga poses. Let this message act a seed to plant the act of practicing yoga in your mind. One pose named after a flower is Padmasana (sanskrit term) in english means lotus pose. Shown here is a cartoon of Lord Shiva in padmasana with …

The best way to start practice is to just move. Stand up, sit down, or lay flat. Whether you are holding or flowing the poses, the main goal is to do the pose. Yoga is experiential. While it is possible to read texts, watch movies, or listen to pod casts about yoga, at the end …

When you breathe, where does the breath touch you? Where does it move to? Take a moment, inhale and exhale normally. Do this a few times.  What part of body moves to accommodate the breath?  What sounds do you hear  on the inhalation? What about on the exhalation?

When one attends a yoga class the teacher will give instructions on how to come in and out of the poses. The students will receive verbal explanations on what body parts to move and activate in order to do pose with correct muscular skeletal  alignment. Being visible to the instructor is important for appropriate feedback …

Doing yoga online is a great opportunity to practice yoga in your own home. By participating in weekly yoga classes one is must create space to actually do yoga. When you join a class it helps you to stay accountable to your practice. The classes are completed in real time and sequence of poses are  …

Unroll your yoga mat, a blanket, or whatever is available to you and do a few simple yoga poses. Here are a some ideas to start your practice. Begin  standing on your feet in Mountain Pose and observe if the feet point straight ahead or do they tend to turn in or out? Do you stand …

One of the niyamas or “internal observances” that constitute the second limb of yoga is santosa a sanskrit word for happiness and contentment. Being optimistic and cheerful is key to success in yoga. If one feels dour or negative while doing a yoga pose, then coming out of the posture is recommended. By practicing yoga …

Since today is the full moon, let’s consider how the moon has been regarded  in yoga philosophy. In sanskrit the word for moon is candre. According the BKS Iyengar the moon represents  consciousness.  The waning and waxing of the lunar cycle are like the fluctuations of the mind.  The moon is a cool orb and …